Energy-aware federated learning for secure edge computing in 5G-enabled IoT networks
Milad Rahmati
Abstract
Abstract The rapid expansion of 5G-enabled IoT networks has intensified the need for efficient, secure, and privacy-preserving machine learning models that can operate in decentralized edge environments. Federated learning (FL) has emerged as a promising solution by enabling collaborative training without sharing raw data. However, traditional FL implementations suffer from excessive energy consumption, vulnerability to adversarial attacks, and inefficient resource utilization in heterogeneous edge computing infrastructures. To address these challenges, we propose an energy-aware federated learning (EAFL) framework, integrating adaptive client selection, quantization-aware model updates, and blockchain-enhanced security mechanisms to improve both energy efficiency and resistance to model poisoning attacks and adversarial gradient manipulations. Our method dynamically selects participating IoT devices based on energy constraints and computational capacity, reducing unnecessary communication overhead. Additionally, quantization-aware training minimizes computational complexity, while blockchain-based security enhancements protect against data manipulation and adversarial model poisoning attacks. We evaluate the EAFL framework using benchmark IoT datasets and simulated 5G edge environments, demonstrating a 35.4% reduction in energy consumption while maintaining a high model accuracy of 91.8%. Furthermore, our blockchain-integrated security mechanism reduces model poisoning attack success rates by 72.3%, outperforming conventional FL approaches. This study provides a novel interdisciplinary contribution at the intersection of privacy-preserving AI, energy-efficient edge computing, and decentralized security architectures, paving the way for more sustainable and secure IoT applications in smart healthcare, autonomous systems, and industrial automation.